poem of the day 12.09.10

diods

jack introduces himself
to me again
we meet again and again
every time that i come in here
jack will interrupt
a conversation with some anecdote
from his life
that has nothing to do
with the topic at hand
then he’ll tell a story
just as arbitrary
when he finishes
he’ll look at me and ask
what’s your name?
and i’ll tell him
wishing that i could give him
a different name each time
but i’m known in here now
b.j. tells me that
i’m a regular
i’ve been anointed
and this is where i belong
so i don’t want to mess
things up between me and jack
today jack is talking about
herman hesse
siddhartha
the buddha
jack tells us that jesus was a big fan
of the buddha
only the bible won’t tell you
that he is
i’m wondering what other kind of
inside information jack has on jesus christ
it keeps me from this depression
keeps me from the realization
that these barflies are the only friends
that i’ve got in this world
most of the time i think that friendship
isn’t worth it
i’d rather b.j. and his whiskey and beer
jack with his pints of chardonnay and ice
than anything more intimate
it’s sad
i’ve become cold and i see no way to reverse it
but it’s all right
because a man can still talk when
he needs to
because in a few moments
ivan will start dancing to hot tuna
and bill the bartender
will drop his laptop on the floor
because he’s drunk
jack will take a long pull on his chardonnay
and tell us that people have
to be careful with their laptops
because they are full of diods
and diods are what keep
computers from getting viruses
b.j. will laugh in jack’s face
he’ll sit back in his stool and down
the last of his pint
diods, he’ll say
yeah, it’s gotta be the diods
keeping all of those viruses away
and jack will feel smart
he’ll tell me that this time he’s going
to remember my name
then jeopardy will come on the television
and no one will have to think
about anything else
friends or names
because one of the catagories
will be major league baseball
and we’re all intimate
with that topic
in this joint.